6 Reasons Why Grad Life Isnt So Scary

6 Reasons Why Grad Life Isnt So Scary From a young age we have the idea of the real world hammered into our brains. The real world  where you have to pay taxes. The real world where if youre late, you wont get another chance to pitch to a client, or where you work at a dead-end job in an office  with a bloke named Barry who always says something inappropriate at Friday drinks. Chances are youre waiting to graduate with an impeding sense of dread for  this real world which sounds like its going to unnervingly  consume you as soon as youre handed that scroll at your graduation ceremony. The first thing you need to do is to forget the notion of real world. Yes, you may have been living in a student bubble away from the scary monsters named Tax, Responsibilities The 9-to-5,    but youve been living in the real world this whole time without realising it. Graduate life really isnt as scary as everyone makes it out to be (although  responsibilities can sometimes jump out and surprise you when you least expect  it eek). Here are my top 6 reasons why graduate life isnt as scary as you might think: 1. Yes, you actually do have experience The idea of interviews, job applications CVs can be a scary thought after youve graduated. If youre one of the clever ones, youll have done some work experience or internships during your study holidays. If not, dont fret being a student teaches you more than how to wing a dissertation when youve had 3 hours sleep. Youve got solid proof  that youve stuck something out for three years. Your assignments took a certain levels of experience and knowledge, and the lectures and seminars you attended definitely help out with processing your learnings. When applying for jobs, make sure you portray these transferable skills. 2. Youve got  a degree On top of everything else you learnt at university, youve got yourself a degree! Its no easy feat to complete your studies, so its something to be proud of. The job market is a competitive one, so having a degree under your belt can help you stand out above the rest. It also boosts your credibility when it comes to completing a goal, as youve stuck it out for 3 years and  have something to prove it! 3. Believe or not, theres a job out there you might love Graduate schemes and entry level jobs are shoved down the throats of graduates which sends the entire student population into a frenzy.  But STOP! Graduate schemes are awesome for many people but its not the only option for graduates. There are so many opportunities out there, whether thats in start ups, creative roles or just entry-level jobs. If youre lucky enough to be in a position to accept an internship with a company you love, then do it. But until that day comes,  remember that you you will eventually find a job you love, even if it takes a while. 4. Life-long vocations are not really a thing anymore Sometimes graduates feel as though they need to choose their exact career in the moment of graduation. Now, years ago this may have been the case. Workers would get a job and probably stay in the same industry for their whole life. These days, careers are much more fluid. Its no longer frowned upon to change jobs and move around. So dont be afraid that your first job is going to be your job for life. The transferable skills you learn can take you anywhere you wish to go. 5. Everyone else  is finding their way too If you feel like youre floating around in an unknown sea waiting to find a desert island called First Job, look closely enough and youll see the bobbing heads of thousands of other graduates in the same position as you. It can be quite a hard time and its easy to feel lonely, but remember that your peers are probably in exactly the same position as you. Grab on to them and youll soon wash up on land; talking to your peers can help out. 6. Routines are great If youre about to graduate and have become accustomed to the sweet 3-hour days that university brings, a 9-to-5 job can seem absurd. How do people last for THAT many hours without having a midday nap? Well, believe it or not a routine is actually good for your health. Its also easier than you may think, and if youre a serial napper, youve always got the weekend! Do you have any other reasons why graduate life isnt that scary? Let us know in the comments below. Main image credit: Shutterstock

10 Tips for the new workplace etiquette

10 Tips for the new workplace etiquette Theres a new workplace etiquette for the new millennium, and, no surprise, its all about transparency and authenticity. The new etiquette is driven by the fact that young people who grew up online dont know how to operate any other way except transparently. The good news is this means they have great social skills; the bad news is they have no idea that theyre breaking all the old rules. Here a list tips to help people who arent used to living an authentic, transparent work life flourish under the new rules. 1. Forget the exit interview. An exit interview wont help you, and itll probably create bad will. If you have people to thank when you leave a job, do it at lunch. If you have ideas for how to improve the company, offer to consult. Of course the company will decline, because they dont care. Otherwise you wouldnt be quitting, right? Stop focusing on the exit interview and focus on how to quit like a pro. When you get a new job, your old boss is part of your new network. Its up to you to make sure that parting ways goes as smoothly as possible so that you can shepherd this person into your network of supporters. 2. Dont ask for time off, just take it. When you need to leave work for a few hours or a few days, you dont need to ask for permission youre an adult, after all. Make sure your work is in good order and send an email to the relevant people letting them know youll be gone. This will seem discourteous to older people, who expect you to ask rather than tell. So be sure to give a reason why youre cutting out. People like to know they matter and where they stand. 3.  Keep your headphones on at work. If you use social media tools, youre probably good at connecting with people and  navigating office politics   good enough that spending all day at work with headphones on wont hinder you. If you dont know what what social media tools are, then youre probably not innately good at making connections and need to take those headphones off before youre crushed by office politics. 4. Say no to video résumés. This is one of the  dumbest recruiting trends  ever. Any human resources person in their right mind would hate video résumés. If theres a stack of 100 paper résumés, the hiring manager will spend 10 seconds on each to decide which ones belong in the garbage. So how annoying is it that it takes 10 seconds just to launch a video résumé? And its not just that theyre totally inefficient. Video résumés open up HR departments to a whole new level of discrimination accusations. Theres a reason why newscasters are all good-looking its because we favor the good-looking on-screen. So if you dont get hit on every time you step into a bar, forget about the video résumé. You probably look better on paper. 5. Invite your CEO to be a friend on Facebook. Thats right, Facebook is for everyone now. And although the youngest members of the workforce are a little worried that having the adults there will ruin things, adults are psyched to be there. No one wants to miss out on all the fun. So theres a good chance that your CEO is registered, and its likely that shell really want to hear from you about what to do on Facebook, since she surely has no clue. 6. Do reconnaissance on your probable boss. This tip comes from 20-something Hannah Seligson, whose book, New Girl on the Job: Advice from the Trenches, gives great  tips on  getting through the first years of work most of which comes down to etiquette. Seligson recommends you find out all the dirt you can about your future employer, because the best gauge of how a company will treat you is how it treated other employees. So asking people directly is fine. Remember that its often the boss who makes the biggest difference in the workplace, so try using  LinkedIn  to search for someone who had the job youre interviewing for. Former employees will always give you the most candid comments. 7. Dont try to improve a coworker. If you work with a jerk, just avoid him. We already know from dozens of studies that thinking you can change someone doesnt really work. Companies know that getting rid of difficult employees isnt worth the cost and headache, too. So if the jerk isnt moving and the company isnt moving, you need to get moving  with your job hunt. 8. Dont blog under a pseudonym. Its enticing to hide your name when you blog, because you dont want to get fired, or harassed, or held accountable at work for the opinions you have at home. But the truth is that the majority of adults who blog are doing it for business reasons. Writing a blog that people can actually find among 77 million blogs is very time-consuming. Its a big commitment to write about what you know on a single topic, but  blogging will help your career a lot. So why bother doing it if youre not going to take credit for it where it matters most  with potential employers who havent met you? 9. Call people on the weekend for work. With the Blackberry going where work has never gone before, its no surprise that the lines between work and not-work are blurring. The people who grew up being super-connected dont differentiate between the workweek and the weekend, so they dont mind working over the weekend on bits and pieces leftover from the week. Of course, this also means that people are going home early all week long at random intervals. The result is that the weekend is fair game for phone calls. If your coworkers dont like being called on the weekend, they can tell you. But remind them that a flexible work schedule lets you put relationships first all the time, and a work schedule that cordons off five days a week for work and two days a week for a personal life means that the personal life takes a backseat every week of the year. The best way to get a life is to stop being so rigid about the distinction between time for work and time for life. 10. Be nice like your job depends on it. In fact,  your job does depend on you being nice. The old days of office politics as a means of backstabbing are dead young people are bringing their team-player, Im-competing-against-my-best-self mentality from their self-esteem-centric homes into the workplace, and theres nothing you can do except be nice back. Anyway, the truth is that the most likable people get promoted, so this is an instance where following the unwritten rules really can save your career.

Are You Looking For An Online Career

Are You Looking For An Online Career Most people would love to leave traditional jobs behind and spend their days working online. The issue is that schools don’t tend to highlight the type of work you could undertake. So, it’s difficult to know where you should start when trying to earn a living. You’ll find three suggestions below that will point you in the right direction. There is lots of work going for people who know how the internet works. That’s why you should get involved as soon as possible. Search Engine Optimisation As the infographic shows, SEO is big business these days. People in that industry try to ensure their clients appear at the top of relevant search results. That helps to drive more traffic to their website and push their business forward. Infographic Published By SEO Training Freelance Writing There are a lot of misconceptions relating to freelance writing. Most people think its difficult to make a reliable living in that trade. However, the situation is better than it looks. Thousands of people work as freelance writers these days using specialist websites to find jobs. You could do the same. Web Design You don’t need any qualifications to create income from web design. You just need some creativity and knowledge of tools like WordPress. It’s possible to outsource any coding work to freelancers after the client has paid for your services. Some web designers manage to earn a fortune, so don’t rule the idea out. At least one of those employment ideas should sound suitable. All you have to do now is get started and network with the right people. Joining freelance websites is wise during the early stages. That will help you to build a portfolio. Image Source; Image Source

Personal Branding Interview Robin Sharma - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Robin Sharma - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Robin Sharma,who is the author of The Leader Who Had No Title, and a Fortune 500 leadership adviser. In this interview, Robin talks about leading without a title, if titles really matter in the corporate world, how a title might get in the way of your success, and more. What does it mean to lead without a title and do you think its easy for executives at companys to do so? To Lead Without a Title is to understand that the old model of leadership is dead. We have now stepped into Leadership 2.0 and any business that is serious about winning in these turbulent times needs to get that. The Leader Who Had No Title distills what Ive learned from working with the best organizations in the world into a formula any businessperson can use to seriously change the game. And it starts with understanding that leadership is no longer about the title on your business card. Its about influence-and impact. And building leaders around you. Now, anyone can lead. And smart enterprises will grow leaders at every level. So each teammate starts doing world-class work. And dazzles customers by their exceptionalism. Most people are trained to graduate College, then find a job and climb the corporate ladder in hopes of becoming the CEO one day. Do titles really matter that much? Ill be the first to say titles are important. Positions and a formal structure are essential to the superb running of an operation. We need people at the top setting the vision and holding ultimate accountability. Ive learned that in my work with organizations like GE, NIKE, FedEx, IBM and Yale University. Having said that, what Im suggesting is a business core competitive advantage now comes down to getting every employee to Lead Without a Title. To view themselves as the CEO of their own small business unit that is their job. By doing this, people will shift from being a victim to becoming a virtuoso. And each teammate will drive innovation, customer wow and exceptional results. A title can certainly open doors. If a Vice President emails a manager, they will respond faster. Can a title also close doors? I dont think titles close doors in business-but they do close minds. Heres what I mean. Too many employees go to work each day and excuse being world-class in their work because they dont have a title. They are half-alive to their work and clock punchers versus icon builders. Yet, the message in The Leader Who Had No Title is that each one of us not only now has the opportunity to show leadership in our work we have the responsibility to do so. In stunningly successful businesses, everyone sees themselves as part of the leadership team (Google is a strong example). My encouragement is to remember that few things make you feel better that the pride you feel on a job brilliantly done. So Lead Without a Title. Innovate. Model excellence. Be unreasonably ethical. And be the most passionate person in every room. Big rewards will flow to you. Companies, especially successful ones, change their workforce structure a lot. How can someone take advantage of this change to become more successful? Drucker said it well: shift from a focus on problems into a focus on opportunities. That sounds like common sense but its not common practice. So yes, businesses are facing a lot of disruption right now. But disruption is the beginning of innovation. Now is not the time to hold back. Its the time to take some smart risks, bring genius-level value to as many people as possible, leverage social media to grow a cherished brand and leave a trail of leaders behind you. Many of the FORTUNE 500 began in The Great Depression. How have you built your own personal brand? What does it take to become known in over 50 different countries? My books have been my calling card. They have become word of mouth phenomena. And after businesspeople read them, they call our shop and want us to help them grow Leaders Without Titles within their organizations. I have also evangelized the Lead Without a Title brand in over 50 countries through an intense speaking schedule. Few things are as powerful as connecting with people live since authenticity and passion is contagious. I also do a ton of media interviews as I like the scale that allows. As well, we leverage the digital/social media to grow our base of followers. I fuel my Twitter addiction daily and play on FaceBook and the other usual suspects. - Robin Sharma is the author of The Leader Who Had No Title. He has been quietly sharing a success formula with FORTUNE 500 companies for over 15 years and many of the super-rich that has made him one of the most sought-after leadership advisers in the world. Robin is one of the worlds most highly respected leadership experts and a man devoted to the mission of helping organizations develop people who Lead Without a Title so they win in this period of intense change. His clients include Microsoft, GE, FedEx, IBM, Nike, NASA, Yale University and The Young Presidents Organization. Sharmas books such as The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and The Greatness Guide have topped bestseller lists across the globe and have sold millions of copies in more than seventy languages. They have also been embraced by rock stars, royalty and many celebrity CEOs.

How Can Recruiters Weed Out the Untruths from a LinkedIn Profile CareerMetis.com

How Can Recruiters Weed Out the Untruths from a LinkedIn Profile â€" CareerMetis.com Source â€" Pixabay.comAs an employer looking for the best candidates online, your search will most likely begin on LinkedIn. Sadly, the reality might be somewhat different from what the candidate’s profile portrays.A study by LEND EDU revealed that 10% of LinkedIn profiles are entirely untrue, while 34% tend to lie just a little. Most of the dishonesty can be found in the skills section because this is harder to prove than the details about work history.Furthermore, the use of fake profiles by hackers who want to gain access to businesses and personal data is on the rise. In the past, they were easy to spot with stock images, but the quality has since improved, and it’s more difficult to differentiate it from the real thing.evalAccording to Mike Brown, a Research Analyst on the study, recruiters should approach with caution if a candidate has all the skills they’re looking for because there is a 55% chance that at least one of those skills was fabricated to boost their profile. When searching for outstanding candidates who could fit the role, how can employers differentiate between truth and lies on a LinkedIn profile?1) Fake Profile PhotosThe first thing you’ll see when you view a candidate’s profile is their profile picture.Experts say that if the profile picture is too good to be true, then it’s more than likely fake. Why pay hundreds of dollars for a headshot if you won’t even crop it before uploading to your LinkedIn profile?The reason is that fake authors don’t have time to spend optimizing each profile, because they are too busy building other profiles. Use Google reverse image search to check if it’s a stock image or a stolen picture.2) Name OdditiesAndy Foote shared this example of a fake profile with an odd name. People who create counterfeit profiles usually lack imagination when creating a name for the profile. For instance, either the name has a strange spelling, or it sounds bland, like Jack Johnson or Jim Jones.evalYou’ll also notice that they don’t include sufficient personal information within their profile, nor belong to any particular group. Some hackers might go as far as using the name of an obscure actor no one knows.3) Incomplete ProfileContinuing from the previous point, one of the most telling signs of a fake LinkedIn profile is its vagueness. For example, statements tend to be generic, while the summary is lacking and the experience section is empty.Most people who have a real profile update their hobbies, causes, education, recommendations and write in the first person in the experience or summary sections.However, fake profiles don’t contain any personal information. They merely cobble together the bare minimum required to open a profile, as well as using a generic job title that doesn’t offer much insight into what their precise role is.4) Very Few ConnectionsevalOne sign of a real profile is that you’ll find a mix of relationships from profiles and people. If links on the profile pa ge are all from one gender, tread cautiously.Look through their mutual friend’s list, which can be a helpful tool for identifying a fake profile from a real one. Some of the new profiles created are so realistic that they could potentially fool even the smartest social media experts.If you receive a request from someone such as Warren Buffet, Mark Zuckerberg or anyone of that caliber who isn’t likely to send you an application, it’s probably fake. In 2017, hackers stole over three terabytes of files in an audacious attempt that began on LinkedIn. So, investigate before you accept any dubious invitations.5) Suspicious Work HistoryOne of the clear signs of a fake profile is that the person in question went to an Ivy League school. If their profile lists that they went to a prestigious school, but their work background suggests more menial work, then you should think twice about going any further.Look for their current employer online to see if that person works there. Also, chec k to see whether the other skills and work history details lineup.6) Endorsements and Premium FlagsYou’ll notice that the individual has many connections â€" probably over 100 â€" but few endorsements from their peers. Sometimes, there might be a few people who endorse them for everything, which is a sign of social guilt.People in higher standing positions usually purchase an upgrade for their accounts because it offers better functionality, so you should be careful when someone claims to be a ‘Manager’ but doesn’t buy any upgrades.7) DetailsThe more detailed the profile, the better. A LinkedIn profile that lacks occupation and education details is indeed suspect. Some might claim to have studied at Harvard while serving in the military simultaneously.Take time to look through their skills and education details. Does it add up? If not, it’s probably a fake profile.8) Poor Spelling and GrammarevalMany fake profiles feature presentation errors; a general scan of the profile will usually reveal misspelled words, as well as poor grammar and sentence structure. For instance, they either spell the first and last name in small letters or all in caps.Every top recruiter will tell you this is not how you present your name on a professional network like LinkedIn, and defaulters are not taken seriously either.Typically also, fake profiles don’t have any engagement, because they don’t interact with anyone. There won’t be much in the way of content, updates or conversations with other community members.What to Look for in a Candidate’s Profile?evalA headshot, not a stock image.A detailed summary section with relevant information about the candidate, such as hobbies and interests.A typo-free headline.A complete profile.Connections and endorsements from community members.Membership of at least one group.The correct LinkedIn number that doesn’t exceed the total number of LinkedIn users.ConclusionYou might be surprised at the caliber of people falling for f ake profiles. There is pressure to build a large LinkedIn society and exaggerate some of the details so that candidates are seemingly more attractive to recruiters.However, creating a fake profile doesn’t inspire trust or boost domain authority. It only destroys your reputation and has far-reaching consequences that prevent recruiters from connecting with you in the future.evalSo, take time to conduct a thorough overview of a candidate’s profile before connecting with them or potentially offering them a role in your company.

Monday tip Five things that made you happy at work today - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Monday tip Five things that made you happy at work today - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog This monday tip is about reminding yourself whats good about your job. Your monday mission: Today before you go home, grab a piece of paper and write down five things that made you happy at work today. Big or small, doesnt matter, as long as it made your day a little better. Meat loaf day at the cafeteria. Making a deadline. Talking to a co-worker. Anything. Make the list just before you leave work. If you cant come up with five items for the list, thats fine, write down as many as you can. If you cant think of a single one, then either its been a bad day, or its time to look for a new job :o) Why is this a good thing? Well, lets say youve had ten good experiences at work today and one bad one. If you go home, thinking only of the bad one, you will remember this as a bad day. It will even feel as a bad day. And most people do have a tendency to remember negative experiences better than positive ones. This makes it a good idea to take extra care to remember good experiences, eg. by writing them down. The Chief Happiness Officers monday tips are simple, easy, fun things you can do to make yourself and others happy at work and get the work-week off to a great start. Something everyone can do in five minutes, tops. When you try it, write a comment here to tell me how it went. Previous monday tips. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Importance of Videos on Resume Writing

The Importance of Videos on Resume WritingAfter the initial onslaught of many resumes, you may have reached a stage where you feel that it is time to put your best foot forward with videos on resume writing. This may sound a little strange but the results are worth it.Videos on resume writing are a perfect vehicle for showcasing your real life experiences and accomplishments. They provide a positive image that is much more believable than the resume. In fact, it is not uncommon for a recruiter to hold up a resume for a candidate who has nothing but an anecdote to tell and a grammatically correct resume.The truth is that the resumes are filled with mistakes that a recruiter is looking for. They are trying to get an impression of what your work experience is like. They also want to see a clear outline of your skill set. The best videos on resume writing will not only showcase your skills, but they will showcase your ability to articulate your capabilities in an easy to understand manne r.Resume videos are ideal for both the experienced and those who are still in the process of learning. A video is a fantastic tool that can be used to drive home an idea for the resume, enhance the resume, or just to add to the professional image. However, they can also be used by job hunters who have experience but don't know how to polish their resume and explain their unique skill set.Videos on resume writing are not only great for potential employers, but they are also great for students. In fact, the videos can be used to give an overview of some of the most important skills for the job. You can highlight some of the best accomplishments or use some of the worst to paint a picture of what your future employer will see. Think of how these videos can be used to help in explaining why you are a great fit for the position.Writing videos is an extremely effective way to boost your resume writing. Just remember to make sure that you are both technically proficient and that you add yo ur personal experiences so that the video provides a completely original piece of work.One tip that I can offer to anyone who is interested in writing their own videos is to research the specific requirements that you need to cover in order to create the resume. Take advantage of information that is readily available to create a professional-looking video. It's not about filling out a job application, it's about providing an honest representation of you.When creating a resume, one of the most important things to keep in mind is that it will remain with your for the rest of your career. So, when it comes to videos on resume writing, it is important to make sure that your resume is done the right way.